آب جیحون را اگر نتوان کشید ** هم ز قدر تشنگی نتوان برید
Still, if it is impossible to drain (drink) the Oxus, one cannot deny one's self as much (water) as will slake thirst.
گر شدی عطشان بحر معنوی ** فرجه‌ای کن در جزیره‌ی مثنوی
If you are thirsting for the spiritual Ocean, make a breach in the island of the Mathnawí.
فرجه کن چندانک اندر هر نفس ** مثنوی را معنوی بینی و بس
Make such a great breach that at every moment you will see the Mathnawi to be only spiritual.
باد که را ز آب جو چون وا کند ** آب یک‌رنگی خود پیدا کند
When the wind sweeps away the straw from the (surface of) the river-water, the water displays its unicolouredness.
شاخهای تازه‌ی مرجان ببین ** میوه‌های رسته ز آب جان ببین 70
Behold the fresh branches of coral, behold the fruits grown from the water of the spirit!
چون ز حرف و صوت و دم یکتا شود ** آن همه بگذارد و دریا شود
When it (the Mathnawí) is made single (and denuded) of words and sounds and breaths, it leaves all that (behind) and becomes the (spiritual) Ocean.
حرف‌گو و حرف‌نوش و حرفها ** هر سه جان گردند اندر انتها
The speaker of the word and the hearer of the word and the words (themselves)—all three become spirit in the end.
نان‌دهنده و نان‌ستان و نان‌پاک ** ساده گردند از صور گردند خاک
The bread-giver and the bread-receiver and the wholesome bread become single (denuded) of their forms and are turned into earth,
لیک معنیشان بود در سه مقام ** در مراتب هم ممیز هم مدام
But their reality, in the three (above-mentioned) categories, is both differentiated in (these) grades and permanent.
خاک شد صورت ولی معنی نشد ** هر که گوید شد تو گویش نه نشد 75
In appearance they have become earth, in reality they have not; if any one say that they have, say to him, “No, they have not.”
در جهان روح هر سه منتظر ** گه ز صورت هارب و گه مستقر
In the spiritual world all three are waiting (for the Divine command), sometimes fleeing from form and sometimes taking abode (in it).
امر آید در صور رو در رود ** باز هم از امرش مجرد می‌شود
(When) the (Divine) command comes—“Enter into forms”— they enter (into them); likewise at His command they become divested (of form).
پس له الخلق و له الامرش بدان ** خلق صورت امر جان راکب بر آن
Know, therefore, that (in the text) to Him belongs the creation and to Him the command “the creation” is the form and “the command” is the spirit riding upon it.
راکب و مرکوب در فرمان شاه ** جسم بر درگاه وجان در بارگاه
(Both) the rider and the ridden are under the authority of the King: the body is at the portal and the spirit in the audience-chamber.
چونک خواهد که آب آید در سبو ** شاه گوید جیش جان را که ارکبوا 80
When the King desires the water to come into the pitcher, He says to the spirit-army, “Ride!”
باز جانها را چو خواند در علو ** بانگ آید از نقیبان که انزلوا
Again, when He calls the spirit aloft, there comes from the overseers the cry, “Dismount!”
بعد ازین باریک خواهد شد سخن ** کم کن آتش هیزمش افزون مکن
The discourse, (if continued) after this (point), will become subtle: diminish the fire, do not put more faggots on it,
تا نجوشد دیگهای خرد زود ** دیگ ادراکات خردست و فرود
Lest the small pots boil (too) quickly: the pot of the perceptions is small and low.
پاک سبحانی که سیبستان کند ** در غمام حرفشان پنهان کنند
The Holy Transcendent One who makes the apple-orchard conceals them (the apples) in a mist of words.
زین غمام بانگ و حرف و گفت و گوی ** پرده‌ای کز سیب ناید غیر بوی 85
From this mist of sound and words and talk (arises such) a screen that naught of the apple comes (into perception) save the scent.
باری افزون کش تو این بو را به هوش ** تا سوی اصلت برد بگرفته گوش
At least draw (inhale) this scent in greater quantity with (the nostrils of) your intelligence, that taking you by the ear it may lead you towards your origin.
بو نگه‌دار و بپرهیز از زکام ** تن بپوش از باد و بود سرد عام
Preserve the scent and beware of the rheum: protect your body from the cold wind (breath) and being of the vulgar,
تا نینداید مشامت را ز اثر ** ای هواشان از زمستان سردتر
Lest by the effect (thereof) it stop up your nose: oh, their air is colder than winter.
چون جمادند و فسرده و تن‌شگرف ** می‌جهد انفاسشان از تل برف
They are like lifeless matter and frozen and stout of body: their breaths issue from a snow-hill.
چون زمین زین برف در پوشد کفن ** تیغ خورشید حسام‌الدین بزن 90
When the earth (of your being) is covered with a shroud of this snow, brandish the sunbeam-sword of Husámu’ddín.